


From Sea to Far Off Sea

by DharthGators



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-09
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:26:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24085069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DharthGators/pseuds/DharthGators
Summary: The characters from a Ghosts of Saltmarsh-inspired campaign find themselves on the streets of Nicodranas one day!See Notes for setting details.
Kudos: 2





	From Sea to Far Off Sea

“Caleb hurry up, they’re going to get soggy!!!” Jester Lavorre called shrilly over her shoulder, as she ran through the rain lashed streets of Nicodranas. Caleb Widogast and Veth Brenatto hurried after the blue Tiefling, trying to keep their footing on the slick cobblestones while attempting to keep a frankly ludicrous amount of pastries sheltered from the rain. “You see?! YOU SEE?! This is why the ocean is terrible!” said Veth, the winded Halfling having to shout to make herself heard over the storm, “it won’t be satisfied, Pant, until we’re ALL wet!!!” Caleb rolled his eyes, then stretched a fine piece of copper wire to cast Sending, “Cutting our shopping trip short, we will meet back at ze Chateau, see you all soon. You can reply to this message.” As trio rounded a corner and dashed up the next street, Veth pointed toward an alley two blocks away, “Look, is that a break in the storm?” Caleb squinted, “So small? Why would there be no rain in only that one exact sp-” “ Who cares?!” Jester interrupted, putting on an extra burst of speed, “As long as it’s out of the weather Caleb, what does it ma- oof!”

In her rush, Jester failed to notice the figure emerging from the alleyway until it was too late, bouncing off them and sending both to the ground. “Owww…” Jester rubbed her smarting head, the sound of her friends approaching footsteps growing louder. “Oh, o-oh dear…” came a new, strangely accented voice, and Jester opened her eyes to see she was face to face with the person she’d run into. He was a Tiefling, like her, but his skin was a darker shade of blue, almost the same color as the storm clouds overhead. His eyes, black sclera and shining irises of sea green, seemed to be filled with worry. His garments marked him as a sailor, or one who works in close proximity with the sea, and apart from a small handaxe held in a loop of his belt, he seemed unarmed. “I am so very sorry,” he continued holding out a hand to help her up, “I, ah, d-did not see you there. Are you injured?” “She is the one who ran into you, Hjalmar,” came a voice from the alley behind him, “if anyone is needing to apologize, it is she.” Jester looked up to see a tall scowling woman emerge from the gloom.

A water genasi, teal skinned, with hair the deep green of the ocean held in a regal net of pearls, she carried a massive warhammer, resting lightly on one shoulder, and she was armored as if prepared to go into battle. It was at this moment that Veth and Caleb finally caught up. Seeing her friend on the ground with two strangers standing over her, Veth immediately drew her crossbow, aiming first at the Tiefling, then the genasi. “Who are you?! What are you doing to Jester!?!? Stay back, I’m warning you!!!” This did not elicit the reaction Veth expected, as the Tiefling immediately raised his hands in surrender, while the genasi woman merely snorted and rolled her eyes. “Veth, I think perhaps you are being a bit rash.” panted Caleb, the wizard bent double as he tried to catch his breath, “I do not think they mean us any ha-“ “Ha har, Jim lad, what have ye found here, eh?” Caleb’s eyes went wide as a third individual moved out of the alleyway. Naked from the waist up save for a loose vest, the man’s muscled seafoam green torso was covered in intricate tattoos, a wisp of cloudlike hair marking him as an air genasi. He grinned down at the newcomers, the expression somewhat sinister when combined with his glowing eyepatch, as well as the massive oar bolted with sharpened metal edges that he carried as though it weighed no more than a baton. “….oh Scheiße. Ja, ok, maybe we keep the crossbow out for now.” The strange Tiefling, hands still raised, sighed dejectedly, “it seems that we are not in Saltmarsh anymore…”

* * *

The inside of the Lavish Chateau showed no sign of the storm that was lashing Nicodranus. The thick curtains and tapestries adorning the walls deadened the sound of the wind and rain, and the warmth from the ornate fireplace banished any hint of chill. Yasha Nydoorin listened as her friends explained the events of their outing. The strange weather anomaly had continued to follow them, and by the time they had returned to the Chateau they were nearly dry. Yasha, was beginning to suspect one of the newcomers was responsible for this mobile calm spell, but she wasn’t sure which. The only one she had ruled out was the Tiefling, as he alone seemed unnerved by it. If she had to put money on it, she’d guess it was the tall woman with the large hammer. She turned to her friends, “So, you just ran into these three on the streets and… decided to bring them here?” Jester shrugged, “I mean they said they were not from around here, and they did not have anywhere to go, so I thought they would like it here where it was warm and comfy! And they said that one of their friends is MISSING, and that is so sad, and I thought, well, my house is Very Big, and it is sort of like a landmark, you know? So if they turn up, they might be able to find their way here and then they will be reunited! Besides, they have a tiefling with them, so I mean they cannot be that bad!” The Tiefling in question, who, Yasha noticed, was clutching his coat tighter than necessary, seemed to flinch slightly at this. She sighed, “alright, well come on in. Fjord and Caduceus are at the tower now, and Beau is still sleeping off last night.” She turned, and looked at the three silent newcomers, “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your names?”

The greyish Tiefling jumped at this, and made a shaky bow of apology, “o-oh dear, I am so sorry, how terribly rüde of me. I-I am Hjalmar, Hjalmar Tostigson, I-it is very nice to meet you miss.” The water genasi sighed in exasperation, lightly grabbing the smaller man by his collar and pulling him upright. “Hjelmar, how many times, do not apologize until you do things wrong.” She turned to Yasha, flipping her hair over her shoulder as she gave her a onceover. Something about the way motion of her hair caught the aasimar’s attention, it seemed almost too… fluid? “My name ez Lazuli. Thank you for hospitality. And zis one-” as if on que, the air genasi man pushed his way to the front, striking a dramatic pose with his oar planted on the ground and hand on his hip, “Yarr, and I be Grime Wrath! Champion of Saint Aranea, and one o’ the Seven Scourges of the Seas!!! Per’aps ye’ve heard o’ me?” It took a full five seconds of silence for Grime to notice that the answer seemed to be a resounding “No”. The cloudlike whips of hair on his head seemed to slump, “Wh- really?” Caleb shrugged, “I am assuming, based on your accent, that you vere some sort of pirate ja?” Jester’s eyes lit up, “Oh! Do you know the Plank King, because we met him, and I think he likes us, although we did cause him a lot of trouble that one time, but on the other hand” The air genasi shook his head, “N-no, I never heard o’ him. Yar, be he one o’ them Sea Princes?” “Ohhhh, I see what’s happening here.” Veth took a sip from her flask, “You’re all, like, suuuper crazy, huh?” Hjalmar blushed, waving his hands in a fluster, “oh, ehm, n-no miss, I do not think so! Ah, w-well, I cannot speak for myself, but, ah, w-well my companions here, they are perfectly sane!”

_“Hiss!”_

There was a moment of silence. Veth looked from her flask to the newcomers, “Did… did your jacket just hiss at me?” Hjalmar’s blush deepened, “Oh dear, I had almost forgotten!” The tiefling opened his coat, and out crawled a cat-sized winged reptile with wine colored scales. The pseudodragon took up a perch on his shoulder, licked his cheek lightly, before curiously glancing around at the group of strangers. “This is my friend, Bimms.” Hjalmar lightly stroked a finger down her neck. Caleb lightly pushed past Jester, who’s eyes had grown to saucer size and was now making a soft teakettle-like noise, “I am Caleb Widogast, the smaller one is Veth Brenatto, ze tall pale one is Yasha Nydoorin, and this very excited girl is Jester Lavorre, who I think is trying to ask if she may pet your friend there.” Hjalmar looked surprised, then looked at the reptile on his shoulder. Some bit of unseen communication appeared to take place, before the pseudodragon spread her wings, and glided over to perch on Jester’s outstretched arm. “Do be gentle, she may nip you if you are not, erm, c-careful.” Hjalmar warned. By now Jester was radiating pure happiness “Oh, do not worry, I will be VERY gentle! You are so very cute little Bimms! Can I feed her? I have some muffins or a bit of donut, ooh, I think I may have a cupcake somewhere if you give me a second to find it!” As the two tieflings discussed the particulars of Bimms’ diet, Caleb rubbed his chin as he studied the trio of newcomers, “So, you are clearly not from around these parts… Herr Grime, you said you were a champion of this ‘Sane Taranea’ person, correct? Is it the same for you two others?” Lazuli sniffed, “My principles do not align vith hers, no. I em a cleric of Reytha Guul.” She holds up an unfamiliar amulet depicting four bladed tentacles rising from a crimson sea for Caleb’s inspection. His brows furrow, “I… see.” He turns to Hjalmar, And you?” the tiefling blinked, and his eyes fell, “ah, w-well, Mister Widogast, I, ah, I am a warlo- AH!” Hjalmar flinched as Lazuli cuffed him lightly in on the back of the head. “He is Storm Sorcerer, NOT varlock.” “o-oh, yes. S-sorry, I forgot.” Caleb pinched the bridge of his nose, “Ja, ok. Well, assuming that what you say is true, and assuming you are in fact not crazy… tell me, how did you come to arrive here in Nicodranus?”

  
Lazuli looked as though she was about to start explaining, when Grime pushed passed her, “harr Jim lad, let me tell ye our tale!” In one swift motion, Caleb found himself pulled close to the burly air genasi, who gestured dramatically in front of him, “there we were traversin’ the shadowed paths of the Dreadwood, when all o’ the sudden, beneath our very feet, a writhing chromatic mass of eldritch energy did appear! Caught off our guard, we were helpless to resist the rip current of the arcane vortex, an’ in we were pulled! Thinkin’ quickly, I grabbed the two nearest me, these two ye see before ye now! But alas, our dear friend A’ila, was torn from us as we plummeted downward. The next thing we knew, we’d awoken in a drippin' back alley, moments from runnin' inta yerself and yer friends there!” Caleb gingerly extricated himself from the pungent grip, “ok, so, basically. A portal opened and you all fell in?” Grimes frowned, “Well, I suppose if ye want t’remove all the dramatic flair from the tale, then yes.” Caleb’s frown deepened, and he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Yasha came over and put a hand on his shoulder, “Caleb? You’re making that face again, the one where you look like you’re mad at your brain?” “Well…” Caleb mused, “given all that they have said, the places we do not know, the gods we do not recognize, and now the appearance of what is most likely a portal of some kind… well, I do not wish to sound foolish, but it sounds very likely that our new friends here are…. From another world.” This, at last, was enough to snap Jester out of her Bimms-related enthrallment. She grabbed Hjalmar’s hands, pulling the flustered man close to her, eyes shining in excitement, “oh my gosh REALLY?!?!” she squeaked, nearly achieving a pitch only audible to dogs, “oh my goodness oh gosh you have to tell me EVERYTHING, do you have pastries in your world!? What is it called, where are you from, is that why you sound different, what is-” Abandoning Hjalmar to the rambling girl, Lazuli crossed her arms in front of her chest, nodding in agreement, “yes, this seems like logical conclusion. You seem quite smart, it is no wonder you are leader.” “N-no, that’s not, um,” stammered the usually stoic Zemnian man, turning from Yasha to Veth, and receiving nothing but wry grins from the two women. The door behind them suddenly opened, and a in walked a dripping Fjord and Caduceus. “It is absolutely pouring out there,” the half-orc sighed, hanging his damp cloak on a peg near the door, “but it stopped as soon as we got near th- oh.” Caduceus looked over the newcomers and a gentle smile crept over the firbolg’s face, “ah, I see we have guests. I’ll go start the tea.” As he moved off, Lazuli looked from him to Fjord, appraising the two. Looking to Caleb, she pointed at Fjord, “So, zis one is your… bodyguard?”

Veth nearly passed out from laughter.

**Author's Note:**

> Reytha Guul and Saint Aranea are both goddesses in the hombrew world the characters come from, respectively of the sea and piracy. Hjalmar speaks with a Scandinavian accent, and Lazuli speaks with a Russian one.


End file.
